Taft Street Winery

When you have three fig trees, you’ve got to develop a series of recipes (kind of like zucchini). Here’s a versatile recipe, one that goes well with crème fraiche and/or pound cake.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh figs
• ¼ cup sugar
• Zest from ½ orange
• Juice from ½ lemon
• 2 tablespoons water

1. Wash figs and cut into eighths
2. Place all ingredients in pan. Mix.
3. Heat gently to boiling, simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature

I like this with a glass of 2009 Russian River Valley Riesling.

So what do you do with a bunch of quinces? Jam doesn’t quite work. After a little research, it seems that quince is the main ingredient in membrillo – a Spanish spread that goes well with cheese and red wine. And it’s easy!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Quinces, peeled, cored and chopped
• Water
• Sugar, to be determined

1. Place quince in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil and cook 30 minutes, or until fruit is soft. Drain.
2. Process fruit until smooth. Add equal amount of sugar and combine.
3. Cook over low heat until paste thickens and quince has turned a deep orange color (60-90 minutes).
4. Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined rimmed pan. Place in a low oven (125F) for one hour.
5. To serve (with cheese) – cut in small wedges.

This goes great with our Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and our Russian River Valley Zinfandel!

Quick and easy, and perfect after a long day harvesting fruit and veggies.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine or sake
• 1 ½ tablespoons minced shallots
• 3 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped red fresh chile
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 3 red onion, peeled and cut into julienne slices
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons water
• 1 ½ cups basil, leaves rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped

1. Cut chicken into 3 inch x ½ inch x ½ inch pieces. Mix ingredients 2 – 4 and toss in chicken to marinate.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet until quite hot, add ingredients 6 – 8, and cook 2 minutes, or until onions are tender. Push to side of skillet.
3. Add remaining 1 ½ tablespoons oil heat until quite hot. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes. Mix ingredients 9 – 12 and pour into pan. Bring to boil, add fresh basil and mix. Scoop chicken on serving platter and serve with rice and vegetable, if desired.

Serves 6. Try this with Taft Street 2010 Sonoma County Rose of Pinot Noir. You won’t be disappointed.

Summer is barbeque season, and there is nothing like ribs and Zinfandel to celebrate. Here’s how we do it at Taft Street.

Ingredients

• 4-5 pound rack of pork ribs, trimmed
• 1 gallon brine (1gallon water + 1 cup salt + ½ cup brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons cumin seed
• 1 tablespoons coriander seed
• 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper

1. Place pork in brine and refrigerate for four hours. Rinse and wipe dry.
2. In small fry pan cook cumin and coriander until brown and smoking – 3 to 4 minutes. Grind into powder. Add next four ingredients and mix. Rub into pork and refrigerate overnight.
3. Let pork warm to room temperature as you heat grill. Grill over medium high heat, turning every five minutes or so, three turns total. Meat should be milky white in color.

Serve with slaw, pickles and lots of Taft Street Zin!

Don’t laugh, this stuff rocks, Try it on burgers, or smoked turkey or…

Ingredients

• 1 lb bacon
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup coffee
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp mustard

1. Chop bacon and cook. Drain most of fat and cook onion and garlic in remaining fat until brown – about 5 minutes.
2. Return bacon to the pan and add sugar, coffee, syrup vinegar and mustard. Cook on medium heat until thickened – about 45 minutes.

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3. Cool and put in blender. Enjoy.

All Taft Street wines are bacon friendly!

At the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience last week this recipe from Chef Michael Farrell at Bistreaux at the Maison Dupuy Hotel won a Gold Medal for Lagniappe (something extra). It’s fun and easy.

Ingredients

Cream Base:

• 5 cups shallots
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 16 oz mascarpone cheese
• 2 qt heavy cream
• 1 oz cognac
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cheese Mix:

• Grate equal parts
• Smoked gouda
• Parmaggiano Regiano
• Monterrey jack
• 1lb cooked penne pasta
• Truffle Oil

1. In a medium saucepan, sauté shallot until golden and add cognac, cream, mascarpone, salt and pepper. Mix well until mixture comes to a boil.
2. In a sauté pan, add the cream mix and the warmed cooked pasta. Set in a serving dish, drizzle with truffle oil and melt the grated cheese under the broiler.

Serves 8. 2009 Russian River Valley Chardonnay hits the spot with this!

With warm weather approaching and our chickens producing full tilt, it’s time to think eggs. A frittata is an easy, versatile and delicious meal – and it is well matched with a glass of Taft Street Rose of Pinot Noir!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ onion sliced
• ¾ cup of cheese
• 6-8 eggs
• salt and pepper
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Put olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Beat eggs with salt and pepper, then add cheese. Pour over onions and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Cook until eggs are barely set, 5-10 minutes. You can set them further by putting in a 350 oven for a few minutes, or under the broiler for a very short time.
3. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4. Don’t forget the Taft Street Rose of Pinot Noir!

We served these at a winery party recently and they were a big hit. Most of the work can be done well ahead of time, and assembly is quick and easy.

Pulled Pork Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 pounds pork butt or shoulder, trimmed, and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ cup stock
• 1 onion diced

1. Combine first four ingredients for rub. Add pork and coat well. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Brown pork in olive oil and set aside. Add stock, honey and vinegar, scraping the pan’s bottom to incorporate flavors. Add onion and bring to boil.
3. Lower heat to simmer, add pork and cook until tender – about an hour and a half.
4. Let cool, then shred by hand.

Slaw Ingredients

• ½ cup distilled white vinegar
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 medium cabbage, thinly shredded
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, shredded

1. Combine vinegar, sugar, oil, mustard and celery seeds in a medium saucepan. Stir and bring to boil. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine cabbage, onion and carrots in a bowl. Add dressing, toss. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Split a dozen Kaiser rolls and brown briefly in broiler. Place 2 heaping tablespoons slaw on bottom half and cover with 2 heaping tablespoons pulled pork. Wrap in large paper napkin and serve.

Serves 12 and is terrific with just about any Taft Street wine.

(in Ireland it’s called cake) As St Patrick’s Day approaches it’s time to create appropriate wine and food pairings. There is hardly a better match than wine and bread, a winning combo for thousands of years!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound whole wheat flour
• 1 pound white unbleached flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pint buttermilk

1. Sieve flours, soda and salt in a large bowl. Make a hole in the center, pour in buttermilk, and mix to form a dough.
2. Form into one round. With a sharp knife make an X across the top about an inch thick.
3. Cook in a 425 oven for 25 minutes; turn over and cook 5 minutes more.
4. Cool on a rack.

This goes especially well with our new 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (you can add a wee bit of corned beef and cabbage).

St. Valentine’s weekend is our traditional release date for our Sonoma County Rose of Pinot Noir. This year is no exception. Come on by the Tasting Room and sample our new release from the 1010 vintage. We will serve some of these delicious cookies to pair with the wine.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons good quality strawberry jam
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine strawberries, jam, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons sugar; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons of sugar.
4. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Stir in the cream until dough starts to come together, then stir in the strawberry mixture, just until combined.
6. Drop 2 tablespoon portions of dough onto baking sheets, spacing evenly apart.
7. Sprinkle with sugar
8. Bake until golden brown 25 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies with a spatula to a wire rack, and let cool.
10. These cookies are best served the day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen Strawberry Shortcake Cookies. Serve with Taft Street’s 2010 Sonoma County Rose of Pinot Noir (of course).